When I want to list the content of a tape, it give me a block size
error,like this:

tar tvf /dev/rmt/0m
Tar: tape blocksize error

Any idea how to list the content of the tape?

Thanks

10-07-2007, 02:22 PM

unix

Re: tape blocksize error

Did you write the tape ? Could have been written in another blocksize by
someone else. Also, is the tape compatible with the drive, e.g. is it a
DDS4 tape in a DDS3 drive. The drives read older tapes, but not the
otherway. A DDS4 drive will write/read a DDS4 and lower tape. Conversely a
DDS3 drive cannot do anything with a DDS4 tape. That might show as a block
size error.
"CC" <colingcameron@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1127915401.591862.323960@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Hi All,
>
> When I want to list the content of a tape, it give me a block size
> error,like this:
>
> tar tvf /dev/rmt/0m
> Tar: tape blocksize error
>
> Any idea how to list the content of the tape?
>
> Thanks
>[/color]

Please let us know if you still need help with this. If so, *when* do
you get this error, directly or at the end? Does tar do *anything* or
does it just give this error? Is this a tape written on HP-UX or on
another platform? If the latter, on which?

10-07-2007, 02:22 PM

unix

Re: tape blocksize error

"Steve" <h90943@hotmail.commie> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Did you write the tape ? Could have been written in another blocksize by
>someone else. Also, is the tape compatible with the drive, e.g. is it a
>DDS4 tape in a DDS3 drive. The drives read older tapes, but not the
>otherway. A DDS4 drive will write/read a DDS4 and lower tape. Conversely a
>DDS3 drive cannot do anything with a DDS4 tape. That might show as a block
>size error.
>"CC" <colingcameron@gmail.com> wrote in message
>news:1127915401.591862.323960@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
>> Hi All,
>>
>> When I want to list the content of a tape, it give me a block size
>> error,like this:
>>
>> tar tvf /dev/rmt/0m
>> Tar: tape blocksize error
>>
>> Any idea how to list the content of the tape?
>>
>> Thanks
>>[/color]
>[/color]
Generally if you try to put a DDS4 tape ina DDS3 drive it will eject
it almost immediately.

You could try dd to dump out the first few blocks. Should give you an
idea of the block size, then specify this block size to tar.